INSURANCE

The Federation operates two insurance schemes, a Public Liability cover and a Cups and Trophies insurance. The cost to individual Clubs is extremely competitive because of the volume of business we have with the insurer. This is one of the greatest benefits of being a Member Club. We feel that the Public Liability Insurance is important as we have been advised that accidents to the public, caused by the negligence of members, may be held to be the responsibility of the Club committee at the time, if no insurance had been taken out.

Public Liability Insurance

This includes all the normal public liability risks and in particular the following essential Gardening and Flower Show cover:- • Accidents at Club meetings. • Accidents at Flower Shows. • Accidents at outings to stately homes. • Accidents at other outings such as gardens. • Accidents at official garden walks. • Accidents arising out of the consumption of food and drink at club functions. • Accidents incurred in respect of a Club carrying out the normal business of a Gardening Club The insurance is from November 1st to October 31st but Clubs may join at any time on payment of one year’s premium, which would cover them until October 31st of the year they join. Thereafter their next premium would cover them for the next full year. Current premium price: For up to £5 million cover - £59.95 inclusive of Insurance Premium Tax. There is a Public Liability Insurance excess of £350 for costs and expenses in respect of each and every event of damage to property

Joining the Schemes

Any clubs who wish to join these schemes must be members of the Federation and should contact the Treasurer for details. If you would like to join one or both of these schemes please do the following:- For The Public Liability Scheme send a cheque to the Treasurer made out to the Federation for:- £59.95 for up to £5 million cover For The Cups and Trophies Scheme state their total value. Send a cheque to the Treasurer made out to the Somerset Federation of Gardening Clubs. No other application form is required. You are automatically covered seven days after we receive your cheque. Please click here for the Treasurer's Contact details.

Exclusions

Public liability Insurance does not apply to liability in respect of: 1. Marathons or sponsored walks or runs. 2. Firework displays or bonfires. 3. Inflated forts, bouncy castles and the like. 4. Injury to participants in ‘It’s a knock out’ type competitions, tug-of-war competitions, welly boot throwing competitions or Donkey Derby races. 5. Loss or damage to articles hired or personal effects of members. 6. Events where the attendance is likely to exceed 1,000. This document should be kept with your policy.

Further clarifications of the

Public Liability Insurance

This is an attempt to ensure that there is no misunderstanding about the cover provided by the P.L. Insurance Scheme. Around 190 participating clubs have protected their Club Committee and members against paying damages for accidents for which the Club or its members are found negligent in a Court of Law. If someone sues the Club for damages and wins because the Court decides that the Club or its members were negligent then the Insurance Company will pay damages. People can have accidents anywhere, even on official outings, so by joining the insurance scheme Clubs and members will be covered if accidents occur due to their negligence but not from accidents due to the negligence of another party. There is no cover for accidents where the Club and its members are not liable or negligent. A few examples: 1. Covered - A Club member falls over another member’s umbrella which has been left carelessly sticking out from under a chair. The injured member sues the Club. If the Club or member is found negligent in a Court of Law, the insurance would pay. 2. Covered - A Club member pulls down a branch of a shrub for close inspection on an official visit to a garden. It springs back when released and injures someone else in the eye. The injured party sues the Gardening Club. Negligence may well be proved against the Club in a Court of Law, in which case the Club is covered by the policy. 3. Not covered - A Club member falls through the stage of the village hall and the accident was due to dry rot. The Gardening Club is not liable or negligent in such a case, so if the Club was sued the case would be thrown out of court. But, in the unlikely event the Club was proved negligent for some reason, the Insurance would pay. 4. Not covered - A Club member falls down some steps on an official visit to a garden and the accident was due to some broken stones. The Gardening Club has not shown any negligence and is therefore not covered. The injured person should sue the garden owner for damages or prove negligence by the Club in a Court of Law. Cover is not provided unless the accident occurs at an official Club event or function. An accident which takes place on an official Club outing will be covered if negligence is proved against the Club in a Court of Law. Cover is not provided if an accident occurs when a group of members decide to visit a garden on their own. If it is not on the Club fixtures list or recognized as an outing by the Club, the Club is not involved and is therefore not liable or negligent. So the criterion is: Negligence must be proved in a Court of Law against the Club or its members. Accidents due to negligence of someone else are not covered.

Cups and Trophies Insurance

This insurance has been arranged as many clubs have told us that they have been unable to get reasonable quotations and in many cases their insurers have refused to quote at all. Our cups and trophies Insurance includes:- • Theft and major damage in Club members’ homes. • Theft and major damage while in non-members private homes. This is necessary for clubs which have ‘Open’ classes. • Loss in transit to and from the engravers. • Loss in transit from private homes. Scratches and dents are not covered. The excess on this policy is £100. As in the Public Liability Insurance, the cover year runs from November to October but Clubs may join at any time. The premium is £1.80 per £100 value including tax. This is still extremely cheap even if your cups are only valued at a few hundred pounds. Any cups or trophies valued at £1,250 or more must be listed.

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